Irish referendum. Great Victory. But Irish Capitalism's collusion with Catholic Hierarchy ignored.

This is what brought the change - not the Catholic hierarchy capitalist supporting politicians in Fianna and Fine Gael. 

Sean O'Torain.

Irish referendum. Great Victory. But Irish Capitalism's collusion with Catholic Hierarchy ignored.   

Facts For Working people Blog celebrates the great referendum result in Southern Ireland. Thank you to the people of Southern Ireland. Not only for defeating the reaction there but also for defeating the Trump base in the US who provided money to the No side in the referendum. I have watched and read numerous responses to the result from people who were on and many who were leading the Yes side. I have the greatest respect for these people. However I would raise this. I do not see any mention of the role of Irish capitalism which in its own interests at the time gave the unelected all male anti women Catholic hierarchy its power in the state in the first place. Also read: Ireland's 1916 Uprising. The Sell Out of Women and the Catholic Hierarchy

Irish capitalism gave the Catholic hierarchy control of many aspects of Irish life in return for which this Catholic hierarchy defended Irish capitalism. Irish capitalism is as much to blame for the crimes against women as the Catholic hierarchy. Irish capitalism has the blood and suffering of Irish woman and children on its hands also. The referendum was a missed opportunity to put the finger on Irish capitalism for facilitating the crimes that were inflicted on Irish women and children. 

It seems the approach and the response of many of the leaders of the Yes movement unfortunately including many of the socialists has been more of a liberal democratic one rather than putting the finger on the role of Irish capitalism, rather than taking the issue up from a the position of the role of Irish capitalism and from a class point of view. Irish capitalism today has recognized the change in Irish society and it and its representatives in Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are trying to slip away from any fingers being pointed at their role, at their responsibility for the crimes against Irish women and children. It is unfortunate that the socialists in the leadership of the Yes movement have allowed them to achieve this. We even have some of the socialists who played leading and heroic roles in the Yes campaign thanking the Fine Gael dominated government. There were no more vicious fighters for the Catholic hierarchy to have the influence they had and which allowed them to carry out the crimes they carried out, than Fine Gael. This should have been pointed out. This would have strengthened the struggle against Irish capitalism and its parties and also strengthened the struggle for women’s and children rights. And this struggle is far from over. 

Pointing out the role of Irish capitalism and its parties would have strengthened the Irish working class and Irish working class women in the run up to the making of new legislation on the right to choose. Ignoring its role will have helped the Irish capitalist class in the making of this legislation to ignore the other side of the right to choose. That is the right to have a child as well as the right not to have a child. The right to have a child means a well paid secure job, full and free and comprehensive health care and child care, good and affordable housing etc. - the economic necessities to have children. The Irish capitalist class will try to leave these rights out of any new right to choose legislation. It would have been made more difficult for Irish capitalism to do this if the role of Irish capitalism in the crimes of the Catholic hierarchy over the decades had been pointed out. 

It was nauseating to see the Irish government and the Irish capitalist politicians of all parties sitting smug in the Dail (Parliament) when the result of the referendum was known. Their smugness was because they realized that they had managed survive unscathed in the change which was forced on them by the changed balance of class forces in Ireland, the increased power of women as they have entered the paid workforce as never before. Unlike in the past when it was in their own class interests to bow their knees to the Catholic hierarchy now it was in their interests to go along with the change. And they have gone along with this change and remained unscathed, that is, without their role being pointed out. And they have been able to do so unfortunately due to the silence of the left and the labor movement on their role. Now they will move on to try and make a new compromise with the Catholic hierarchy whom they still need to help keep their unjust exploitative capitalist system in existence. They will also use their argument about the "need" for so-called "austerity" to try and limit the new legislation. 

Yes the referendum was a great victory and thank you to all who fought for it and made it possible.  But while recognizing this we must also recognize that Irish capitalism role was not pointed out. An opportunity to expose the backward nature of Irish capitalism was missed.